“IS SOUTH AFRICAN Chardonnay suffering from ‘tall poppy syndrome’?” asked Winemag’s Christian Eedes in the 2018 Prescient Chardonnay Report. “In the past decade or so, the variety as made locally has achieved notable prominence but there has been a tendency in more recent times to disparage it in some quarters, the argument being that it is still some distance behind other New World producing countries, let alone Burgundy, in the quality stakes.”

Clearly Eedes together with fellow panellists Roland Peens and James Pietersen of the Wine Cellar in Cape Town had few misgivings on this occasion: 117 Chardonnays entered, 54 judged to be excellent, 18 lauded as outstanding – see below. Their absolute favourite producers on the day: Delaire Graff, La Bri, Le Riche, Meerlust and Paul Cluver, with DeMorgenzon and Oak Valley also having much to crow about.

Full report including more info about the top wines here.

OUTSTANDING CHARDONNAYS – WINEMAG

Creation Reserve Chardonnay 2017
R300 pb at the cellar door, Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge

Delaire Graff Banghoek Reserve Chardonnay 2017
R240 pb at the cellar door on Helshoogte Pass, Stellenbosch

Delaire Graff Terraced Block Reserve Chardonnay 2016
R725 pb at the cellar door on Helshoogte Pass, Stellenbosch

DeMorgenzon Reserve Chardonnay 2017
R375 pb at the cellar door, Stellenbosch Kloof

Des Dieux Chardonnay 2014
R150 pb at the cellar door, Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge

Eikendal Chardonnay 2017
R180 pb at the cellar door in the Helderberg, Stellenbosch

Groot Constantia Chardonnay 2017
R245 pb at the cellar door, Constantia

Hartenberg Eleanor Chardonnay 2016
R350 pb at the cellar door in Bottelary, Stellenbosch

Kershaw Lower Duivenhoks River Chardonnay 2017
R495 pb at at the cellar door, Elgin

Kruger Walker Bay Chardonnay 2017
Export only, Stellenbosch producer

La Bri Chardonnay 2017
R140 pb at the cellar door, Franschhoek

Le Riche Chardonnay 2017
R130 pb at the cellar door in the Helderberg, Stellenbosch

Longridge Chardonnay 2017
R175 pb at the cellar door in the Helderberg, Stellenbosch

Malanot Chardonnay Reserve 2016
R150 pb from Stellenbosch producer

Meerlust Chardonnay 2017
R240 pb at the cellar door, Stellenbosch

Oak Valley Groenlandberg Chardonnay 2017
R220 pb from the producer, Elgin

Paul Cluver Seven Flags Chardonnay 2017
R700 pb at the cellar door, Elgin

Sutherland Chardonnay 2017
R135 pb at Thelema cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch